CompuServe Messages

Being a proponent of liberty you also understand the nature of news sales. If a news organization went about reporting on houses that *didn't* fall they would soon be selling something else. I am a structural engineer (besides being a radical Whig) and can state that things *are* pretty bad up there. Not that I think the government should pay for repairs. I am not so zealous, though, that I don't mind underwriting low interest loans. These people (me included since I live in San Diego) must accept the fact that they have assumed some risk by living in an area of seismic hazard. Which leads to the subject of earthquake insurance. I consider it a large scale ripoff. The deductibles exceed $10000. Self-insurance would probably as good or better considering the low probability of damage to individual homes exceeding the deductible by more than the future value of the premiums. Modern homes if constructed of wood with plywood or particle board shear walls offers excellent energy dissipation and stiffness. Most people should self insure. Mark